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# DateFormat

`public abstract class DateFormat`
`` `extends Format` ``

java.lang.Object
↳ | java.text.Format
| ↳ | java.text.DateFormat

Known direct subclasses SimpleDateFormat
SimpleDateFormat | `SimpleDateFormat` is a concrete class for formatting and parsing dates in a locale-sensitive manner.

`DateFormat` is an abstract class for date/time formatting subclasses which formats and parses dates or time in a language-independent manner. The date/time formatting subclass, such as `SimpleDateFormat`, allows for formatting (i.e., date → text), parsing (text → date), and normalization. The date is represented as a `Date` object or as the milliseconds since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 GMT.

`DateFormat` provides many class methods for obtaining default date/time formatters based on the default or a given locale and a number of formatting styles. The formatting styles include `FULL`, `LONG`, `MEDIUM`, and `SHORT`. More detail and examples of using these styles are provided in the method descriptions.

`DateFormat` helps you to format and parse dates for any locale. Your code can be completely independent of the locale conventions for months, days of the week, or even the calendar format: lunar vs. solar.

To format a date for the current Locale, use one of the static factory methods:

>     myString = DateFormat.getDateInstance().format(myDate);

If you are formatting multiple dates, it is more efficient to get the format and use it multiple times so that the system doesn't have to fetch the information about the local language and country conventions multiple times.

>     DateFormat df = DateFormat.getDateInstance();
>      for (int i = 0; i < myDate.length; ++i) {
>          output.println(df.format(myDate[i]) + "; ");
>      }

To format a date for a different Locale, specify it in the call to `getDateInstance()`.

>     DateFormat df = DateFormat.getDateInstance(DateFormat.LONG, Locale.FRANCE);

You can use a DateFormat to parse also.

>     myDate = df.parse(myString);

Use `getDateInstance` to get the normal date format for that country. There are other static factory methods available. Use `getTimeInstance` to get the time format for that country. Use `getDateTimeInstance` to get a date and time format. You can pass in different options to these factory methods to control the length of the result; from `SHORT` to `MEDIUM` to `LONG` to `FULL`. The exact result depends on the locale, but generally:

- `SHORT` is completely numeric, such as `12.13.52` or `3:30pm`
- `MEDIUM` is longer, such as `Jan 12, 1952`
- `LONG` is longer, such as `January 12, 1952` or `3:30:32pm`
- `FULL` is pretty completely specified, such as `Tuesday, April 12, 1952 AD or 3:30:42pm PST`.

You can also set the time zone on the format if you wish. If you want even more control over the format or parsing, (or want to give your users more control), you can try casting the `DateFormat` you get from the factory methods to a `SimpleDateFormat`. This will work for the majority of countries; just remember to put it in a `try` block in case you encounter an unusual one.

You can also use forms of the parse and format methods with `ParsePosition` and `FieldPosition` to allow you to

- progressively parse through pieces of a string.
- align any particular field, or find out where it is for selection on the screen.

### Synchronization

Date formats are not synchronized. It is recommended to create separate format instances for each thread. If multiple threads access a format concurrently, it must be synchronized externally.

See also:

- `Format`
- `NumberFormat`
- `SimpleDateFormat`
- `Calendar`
- `GregorianCalendar`
- `TimeZone`

## Summary

### Nested classes
`class` | `DateFormat.Field` Defines constants that are used as attribute keys in the `AttributedCharacterIterator` returned from `DateFormat.formatToCharacterIterator` and as field identifiers in `FieldPosition`.

### Constants
`int` | `AM_PM_FIELD` Useful constant for AM_PM field alignment.
`int` | `DATE_FIELD` Useful constant for DATE field alignment.
`int` | `DAY_OF_WEEK_FIELD` Useful constant for DAY_OF_WEEK field alignment.
`int` | `DAY_OF_WEEK_IN_MONTH_FIELD` Useful constant for DAY_OF_WEEK_IN_MONTH field alignment.
`int` | `DAY_OF_YEAR_FIELD` Useful constant for DAY_OF_YEAR field alignment.
`int` | `DEFAULT` Constant for default style pattern.
`int` | `ERA_FIELD` Useful constant for ERA field alignment.
`int` | `FULL` Constant for full style pattern.
`int` | `HOUR0_FIELD` Useful constant for zero-based HOUR field alignment.
`int` | `HOUR1_FIELD` Useful constant for one-based HOUR field alignment.
`int` | `HOUR_OF_DAY0_FIELD` Useful constant for zero-based HOUR_OF_DAY field alignment.
`int` | `HOUR_OF_DAY1_FIELD` Useful constant for one-based HOUR_OF_DAY field alignment.
`int` | `LONG` Constant for long style pattern.
`int` | `MEDIUM` Constant for medium style pattern.
`int` | `MILLISECOND_FIELD` Useful constant for MILLISECOND field alignment.
`int` | `MINUTE_FIELD` Useful constant for MINUTE field alignment.
`int` | `MONTH_FIELD` Useful constant for MONTH field alignment.
`int` | `SECOND_FIELD` Useful constant for SECOND field alignment.
`int` | `SHORT` Constant for short style pattern.
`int` | `TIMEZONE_FIELD` Useful constant for TIMEZONE field alignment.
`int` | `WEEK_OF_MONTH_FIELD` Useful constant for WEEK_OF_MONTH field alignment.
`int` | `WEEK_OF_YEAR_FIELD` Useful constant for WEEK_OF_YEAR field alignment.
`int` | `YEAR_FIELD` Useful constant for YEAR field alignment.

### Fields
`protected Calendar` | `calendar` The `Calendar` instance used for calculating the date-time fields and the instant of time.
`protected NumberFormat` | `numberFormat` The number formatter that `DateFormat` uses to format numbers in dates and times.

### Protected constructors
`DateFormat()` Create a new date format.

### Public methods
`Object` | `clone()` Overrides Cloneable
`boolean` | `equals(Object obj)` Overrides equals
`final StringBuffer` | `format(Object obj, StringBuffer toAppendTo, FieldPosition fieldPosition)` Overrides Format.
`abstract StringBuffer` | `format(Date date, StringBuffer toAppendTo, FieldPosition fieldPosition)` Formats a Date into a date/time string.
`final String` | `format(Date date)` Formats a Date into a date/time string.
`static Locale[]` | `getAvailableLocales()` Returns an array of all locales for which the `get*Instance` methods of this class can return localized instances.
`Calendar` | `getCalendar()` Gets the calendar associated with this date/time formatter.
`static final DateFormat` | `getDateInstance(int style, Locale aLocale)` Gets the date formatter with the given formatting style for the given locale.
`static final DateFormat` | `getDateInstance(int style)` Gets the date formatter with the given formatting style for the default `FORMAT` locale.
`static final DateFormat` | `getDateInstance()` Gets the date formatter with the default formatting style for the default `FORMAT` locale.
`static final DateFormat` | `getDateTimeInstance(int dateStyle, int timeStyle)` Gets the date/time formatter with the given date and time formatting styles for the default `FORMAT` locale.
`static final DateFormat` | `getDateTimeInstance(int dateStyle, int timeStyle, Locale aLocale)` Gets the date/time formatter with the given formatting styles for the given locale.
`static final DateFormat` | `getDateTimeInstance()` Gets the date/time formatter with the default formatting style for the default `FORMAT` locale.
`static final DateFormat` | `getInstance()` Get a default date/time formatter that uses the SHORT style for both the date and the time.
`NumberFormat` | `getNumberFormat()` Gets the number formatter which this date/time formatter uses to format and parse a time.
`static final DateFormat` | `getTimeInstance(int style)` Gets the time formatter with the given formatting style for the default `FORMAT` locale.
`static final DateFormat` | `getTimeInstance(int style, Locale aLocale)` Gets the time formatter with the given formatting style for the given locale.
`static final DateFormat` | `getTimeInstance()` Gets the time formatter with the default formatting style for the default `FORMAT` locale.
`TimeZone` | `getTimeZone()` Gets the time zone.
`int` | `hashCode()` Overrides hashCode
`boolean` | `isLenient()` Tell whether date/time parsing is to be lenient.
`Date` | `parse(String source)` Parses text from the beginning of the given string to produce a date.
`abstract Date` | `parse(String source, ParsePosition pos)` Parse a date/time string according to the given parse position.
`Object` | `parseObject(String source, ParsePosition pos)` Parses text from a string to produce a `Date`.
`void` | `setCalendar(Calendar newCalendar)` Set the calendar to be used by this date format.
`void` | `setLenient(boolean lenient)` Specify whether or not date/time parsing is to be lenient.
`void` | `setNumberFormat(NumberFormat newNumberFormat)` Allows you to set the number formatter.
`void` | `setTimeZone(TimeZone zone)` Sets the time zone for the calendar of this `DateFormat` object.

### Inherited methods
From class `java.text.Format`
`Object` | `clone()` Creates and returns a copy of this object.
`final String` | `format(Object obj)` Formats an object to produce a string.
`abstract StringBuffer` | `format(Object obj, StringBuffer toAppendTo, FieldPosition pos)` Formats an object and appends the resulting text to a given string buffer.
`AttributedCharacterIterator` | `formatToCharacterIterator(Object obj)` Formats an Object producing an `AttributedCharacterIterator`.
`Object` | `parseObject(String source)` Parses text from the beginning of the given string to produce an object.
`abstract Object` | `parseObject(String source, ParsePosition pos)` Parses text from a string to produce an object.
From class `java.lang.Object`
`Object` | `clone()` Creates and returns a copy of this object.
`boolean` | `equals(Object obj)` Indicates whether some other object is "equal to" this one.
`void` | `finalize()` Called by the garbage collector on an object when garbage collection determines that there are no more references to the object.
`final Class<?>` | `getClass()` Returns the runtime class of this `Object`.
`int` | `hashCode()` Returns a hash code value for the object.
`final void` | `notify()` Wakes up a single thread that is waiting on this object's monitor.
`final void` | `notifyAll()` Wakes up all threads that are waiting on this object's monitor.
`String` | `toString()` Returns a string representation of the object.
`final void` | `wait(long timeout, int nanos)` Causes the current thread to wait until another thread invokes the `notify()` method or the `notifyAll()` method for this object, or some other thread interrupts the current thread, or a certain amount of real time has elapsed.
`final void` | `wait(long timeout)` Causes the current thread to wait until either another thread invokes the `notify()` method or the `notifyAll()` method for this object, or a specified amount of time has elapsed.
`final void` | `wait()` Causes the current thread to wait until another thread invokes the `notify()` method or the `notifyAll()` method for this object.

## Constants

### AM_PM_FIELD

    public static final int AM_PM_FIELD

Useful constant for AM_PM field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting.

Constant Value: 14 (0x0000000e)

### DATE_FIELD

    public static final int DATE_FIELD

Useful constant for DATE field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting.

Constant Value: 3 (0x00000003)

### DAY_OF_WEEK_FIELD

    public static final int DAY_OF_WEEK_FIELD

Useful constant for DAY_OF_WEEK field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting.

Constant Value: 9 (0x00000009)

### DAY_OF_WEEK_IN_MONTH_FIELD

    public static final int DAY_OF_WEEK_IN_MONTH_FIELD

Useful constant for DAY_OF_WEEK_IN_MONTH field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting.

Constant Value: 11 (0x0000000b)

### DAY_OF_YEAR_FIELD

    public static final int DAY_OF_YEAR_FIELD

Useful constant for DAY_OF_YEAR field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting.

Constant Value: 10 (0x0000000a)

### DEFAULT

    public static final int DEFAULT

Constant for default style pattern. Its value is MEDIUM.

Constant Value: 2 (0x00000002)

### ERA_FIELD

    public static final int ERA_FIELD

Useful constant for ERA field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting.

Constant Value: 0 (0x00000000)

### FULL

    public static final int FULL

Constant for full style pattern.

Constant Value: 0 (0x00000000)

### HOUR0_FIELD

    public static final int HOUR0_FIELD

Useful constant for zero-based HOUR field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting. HOUR0_FIELD is used for the zero-based 12-hour clock. For example, 11:30 PM + 1 hour results in 00:30 AM.

Constant Value: 16 (0x00000010)

### HOUR1_FIELD

    public static final int HOUR1_FIELD

Useful constant for one-based HOUR field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting. HOUR1_FIELD is used for the one-based 12-hour clock. For example, 11:30 PM + 1 hour results in 12:30 AM.

Constant Value: 15 (0x0000000f)

### HOUR_OF_DAY0_FIELD

    public static final int HOUR_OF_DAY0_FIELD

Useful constant for zero-based HOUR_OF_DAY field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting. HOUR_OF_DAY0_FIELD is used for the zero-based 24-hour clock. For example, 23:59 + 01:00 results in 00:59.

Constant Value: 5 (0x00000005)

### HOUR_OF_DAY1_FIELD

    public static final int HOUR_OF_DAY1_FIELD

Useful constant for one-based HOUR_OF_DAY field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting. HOUR_OF_DAY1_FIELD is used for the one-based 24-hour clock. For example, 23:59 + 01:00 results in 24:59.

Constant Value: 4 (0x00000004)

### LONG

    public static final int LONG

Constant for long style pattern.

Constant Value: 1 (0x00000001)

### MEDIUM

    public static final int MEDIUM

Constant for medium style pattern.

Constant Value: 2 (0x00000002)

### MILLISECOND_FIELD

    public static final int MILLISECOND_FIELD

Useful constant for MILLISECOND field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting.

Constant Value: 8 (0x00000008)

### MINUTE_FIELD

    public static final int MINUTE_FIELD

Useful constant for MINUTE field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting.

Constant Value: 6 (0x00000006)

### MONTH_FIELD

    public static final int MONTH_FIELD

Useful constant for MONTH field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting.

Constant Value: 2 (0x00000002)

### SECOND_FIELD

    public static final int SECOND_FIELD

Useful constant for SECOND field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting.

Constant Value: 7 (0x00000007)

### SHORT

    public static final int SHORT

Constant for short style pattern.

Constant Value: 3 (0x00000003)

### TIMEZONE_FIELD

    public static final int TIMEZONE_FIELD

Useful constant for TIMEZONE field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting.

Constant Value: 17 (0x00000011)

### WEEK_OF_MONTH_FIELD

    public static final int WEEK_OF_MONTH_FIELD

Useful constant for WEEK_OF_MONTH field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting.

Constant Value: 13 (0x0000000d)

### WEEK_OF_YEAR_FIELD

    public static final int WEEK_OF_YEAR_FIELD

Useful constant for WEEK_OF_YEAR field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting.

Constant Value: 12 (0x0000000c)

### YEAR_FIELD

    public static final int YEAR_FIELD

Useful constant for YEAR field alignment. Used in FieldPosition of date/time formatting.

Constant Value: 1 (0x00000001)

## Fields

### calendar

    protected Calendar calendar

The `Calendar` instance used for calculating the date-time fields and the instant of time. This field is used for both formatting and parsing.

Subclasses should initialize this field to a `Calendar` appropriate for the `Locale` associated with this `DateFormat`.

### numberFormat

    protected NumberFormat numberFormat

The number formatter that `DateFormat` uses to format numbers in dates and times. Subclasses should initialize this to a number format appropriate for the locale associated with this `DateFormat`.

## Protected constructors

### DateFormat

    protected DateFormat ()

Create a new date format.

## Public methods

### clone

    public Object clone ()

Overrides Cloneable

Returns
`Object` | a clone of this instance.

### equals

    public boolean equals (Object obj)

Overrides equals

Parameters
`obj` | `Object`: the reference object with which to compare.

Returns
`boolean` | `true` if this object is the same as the obj argument; `false` otherwise.

### format

    public final StringBuffer format (Object obj,
                    StringBuffer toAppendTo,
                    FieldPosition fieldPosition)

Overrides Format. Formats a time object into a time string. Examples of time objects are a time value expressed in milliseconds and a Date object.

Parameters
`obj` | `Object`: must be a Number or a Date.
`toAppendTo` | `StringBuffer`: the string buffer for the returning time string.
`fieldPosition` | `FieldPosition`: keeps track of the position of the field within the returned string. On input: an alignment field, if desired. On output: the offsets of the alignment field. For example, given a time text "1996.07.10 AD at 15:08:56 PDT", if the given fieldPosition is DateFormat.YEAR_FIELD, the begin index and end index of fieldPosition will be set to 0 and 4, respectively. Notice that if the same time field appears more than once in a pattern, the fieldPosition will be set for the first occurrence of that time field. For instance, formatting a Date to the time string "1 PM PDT (Pacific Daylight Time)" using the pattern "h a z (zzzz)" and the alignment field DateFormat.TIMEZONE_FIELD, the begin index and end index of fieldPosition will be set to 5 and 8, respectively, for the first occurrence of the timezone pattern character 'z'.

Returns
`StringBuffer` | the string buffer passed in as toAppendTo, with formatted text appended.

See also:

- `Format`

### format

    public abstract StringBuffer format (Date date,
                    StringBuffer toAppendTo,
                    FieldPosition fieldPosition)

Formats a Date into a date/time string.

Parameters
`date` | `Date`: a Date to be formatted into a date/time string.
`toAppendTo` | `StringBuffer`: the string buffer for the returning date/time string.
`fieldPosition` | `FieldPosition`: keeps track of the position of the field within the returned string. On input: an alignment field, if desired. On output: the offsets of the alignment field. For example, given a time text "1996.07.10 AD at 15:08:56 PDT", if the given fieldPosition is DateFormat.YEAR_FIELD, the begin index and end index of fieldPosition will be set to 0 and 4, respectively. Notice that if the same time field appears more than once in a pattern, the fieldPosition will be set for the first occurrence of that time field. For instance, formatting a Date to the time string "1 PM PDT (Pacific Daylight Time)" using the pattern "h a z (zzzz)" and the alignment field DateFormat.TIMEZONE_FIELD, the begin index and end index of fieldPosition will be set to 5 and 8, respectively, for the first occurrence of the timezone pattern character 'z'.

Returns
`StringBuffer` | the string buffer passed in as toAppendTo, with formatted text appended.

### format

    public final String format (Date date)

Formats a Date into a date/time string.

Parameters
`date` | `Date`: the time value to be formatted into a time string.

Returns
`String` | the formatted time string.

### getAvailableLocales

    public static Locale[] getAvailableLocales ()

Returns an array of all locales for which the `get*Instance` methods of this class can return localized instances.

Returns
`Locale[]` | An array of locales for which localized `DateFormat` instances are available.

### getCalendar

    public Calendar getCalendar ()

Gets the calendar associated with this date/time formatter.

Returns
`Calendar` | the calendar associated with this date/time formatter.

### getDateInstance

    public static final DateFormat getDateInstance (int style,
                    Locale aLocale)

Gets the date formatter with the given formatting style for the given locale.

Parameters
`style` | `int`: the given formatting style. For example, SHORT for "M/d/yy" in the US locale.
`aLocale` | `Locale`: the given locale.

Returns
`DateFormat` | a date formatter.

### getDateInstance

    public static final DateFormat getDateInstance (int style)

Gets the date formatter with the given formatting style for the default `FORMAT` locale.

This is equivalent to calling `getDateInstance(style, Locale.getDefault(Locale.Category.FORMAT))`.

Parameters
`style` | `int`: the given formatting style. For example, SHORT for "M/d/yy" in the US locale.

Returns
`DateFormat` | a date formatter.

See also:

- `Locale.getDefault(java.util.Locale.Category)`
- `Locale.Category.FORMAT`

### getDateInstance

    public static final DateFormat getDateInstance ()

Gets the date formatter with the default formatting style for the default `FORMAT` locale.

This is equivalent to calling `getDateInstance(DEFAULT, Locale.getDefault(Locale.Category.FORMAT))`.

Returns
`DateFormat` | a date formatter.

See also:

- `Locale.getDefault(java.util.Locale.Category)`
- `Locale.Category.FORMAT`

### getDateTimeInstance

    public static final DateFormat getDateTimeInstance (int dateStyle,
                    int timeStyle)

Gets the date/time formatter with the given date and time formatting styles for the default `FORMAT` locale.

This is equivalent to calling `getDateTimeInstance(dateStyle, timeStyle, Locale.getDefault(Locale.Category.FORMAT))`.

Parameters
`dateStyle` | `int`: the given date formatting style. For example, SHORT for "M/d/yy" in the US locale.
`timeStyle` | `int`: the given time formatting style. For example, SHORT for "h:mm a" in the US locale.

Returns
`DateFormat` | a date/time formatter.

See also:

- `Locale.getDefault(java.util.Locale.Category)`
- `Locale.Category.FORMAT`

### getDateTimeInstance

    public static final DateFormat getDateTimeInstance (int dateStyle,
                    int timeStyle,
                    Locale aLocale)

Gets the date/time formatter with the given formatting styles for the given locale.

Parameters
`dateStyle` | `int`: the given date formatting style.
`timeStyle` | `int`: the given time formatting style.
`aLocale` | `Locale`: the given locale.

Returns
`DateFormat` | a date/time formatter.

### getDateTimeInstance

    public static final DateFormat getDateTimeInstance ()

Gets the date/time formatter with the default formatting style for the default `FORMAT` locale.

This is equivalent to calling `getDateTimeInstance(DEFAULT, DEFAULT, Locale.getDefault(Locale.Category.FORMAT))`.

Returns
`DateFormat` | a date/time formatter.

See also:

- `Locale.getDefault(java.util.Locale.Category)`
- `Locale.Category.FORMAT`

### getInstance

    public static final DateFormat getInstance ()

Get a default date/time formatter that uses the SHORT style for both the date and the time.

Returns
`DateFormat` | a date/time formatter

### getNumberFormat

    public NumberFormat getNumberFormat ()

Gets the number formatter which this date/time formatter uses to format and parse a time.

Returns
`NumberFormat` | the number formatter which this date/time formatter uses.

### getTimeInstance

    public static final DateFormat getTimeInstance (int style)

Gets the time formatter with the given formatting style for the default `FORMAT` locale.

This is equivalent to calling `getTimeInstance(style, Locale.getDefault(Locale.Category.FORMAT))`.

Parameters
`style` | `int`: the given formatting style. For example, SHORT for "h:mm a" in the US locale.

Returns
`DateFormat` | a time formatter.

See also:

- `Locale.getDefault(java.util.Locale.Category)`
- `Locale.Category.FORMAT`

### getTimeInstance

    public static final DateFormat getTimeInstance (int style,
                    Locale aLocale)

Gets the time formatter with the given formatting style for the given locale.

Parameters
`style` | `int`: the given formatting style. For example, SHORT for "h:mm a" in the US locale.
`aLocale` | `Locale`: the given locale.

Returns
`DateFormat` | a time formatter.

### getTimeInstance

    public static final DateFormat getTimeInstance ()

Gets the time formatter with the default formatting style for the default `FORMAT` locale.

This is equivalent to calling `getTimeInstance(DEFAULT, Locale.getDefault(Locale.Category.FORMAT))`.

Returns
`DateFormat` | a time formatter.

See also:

- `Locale.getDefault(java.util.Locale.Category)`
- `Locale.Category.FORMAT`

### getTimeZone

    public TimeZone getTimeZone ()

Gets the time zone. This method is equivalent to the following call.

>     getCalendar().getTimeZone()

Returns
`TimeZone` | the time zone associated with the calendar of DateFormat.

### hashCode

    public int hashCode ()

Overrides hashCode

Returns
`int` | a hash code value for this object.

### isLenient

    public boolean isLenient ()

Tell whether date/time parsing is to be lenient. This method is equivalent to the following call.

>     getCalendar().isLenient()

Returns
`boolean` | `true` if the `calendar` is lenient; `false` otherwise.

See also:

- `Calendar.isLenient()`

### parse

    public Date parse (String source)

Parses text from the beginning of the given string to produce a date. The method may not use the entire text of the given string.

See the `parse(java.lang.String, java.text.ParsePosition)` method for more information on date parsing.

Parameters
`source` | `String`: A `String` whose beginning should be parsed.

Returns
`Date` | A `Date` parsed from the string.

Throws
`ParseException` | if the beginning of the specified string cannot be parsed.

### parse

    public abstract Date parse (String source,
                    ParsePosition pos)

Parse a date/time string according to the given parse position. For example, a time text `"07/10/96 4:5 PM, PDT"` will be parsed into a `Date` that is equivalent to `Date(837039900000L)`.

By default, parsing is lenient: If the input is not in the form used by this object's format method but can still be parsed as a date, then the parse succeeds. Clients may insist on strict adherence to the format by calling `setLenient(false)`.

This parsing operation uses the `calendar` to produce a `Date`. As a result, the `calendar`'s date-time fields and the `TimeZone` value may have been overwritten, depending on subclass implementations. Any `TimeZone` value that has previously been set by a call to `setTimeZone` may need to be restored for further operations.

Parameters
`source` | `String`: The date/time string to be parsed
`pos` | `ParsePosition`: On input, the position at which to start parsing; on output, the position at which parsing terminated, or the start position if the parse failed.

Returns
`Date` | A `Date`, or `null` if the input could not be parsed

### parseObject

    public Object parseObject (String source,
                    ParsePosition pos)

Parses text from a string to produce a `Date`.

The method attempts to parse text starting at the index given by `pos`. If parsing succeeds, then the index of `pos` is updated to the index after the last character used (parsing does not necessarily use all characters up to the end of the string), and the parsed date is returned. The updated `pos` can be used to indicate the starting point for the next call to this method. If an error occurs, then the index of `pos` is not changed, the error index of `pos` is set to the index of the character where the error occurred, and null is returned.

See the `parse(java.lang.String, java.text.ParsePosition)` method for more information on date parsing.

Parameters
`source` | `String`: A `String`, part of which should be parsed.
`pos` | `ParsePosition`: A `ParsePosition` object with index and error index information as described above.

Returns
`Object` | A `Date` parsed from the string. In case of error, returns null.

Throws
`NullPointerException` | if `pos` is null.

### setCalendar

    public void setCalendar (Calendar newCalendar)

Set the calendar to be used by this date format. Initially, the default calendar for the specified or default locale is used.

Any `TimeZone` and leniency values that have previously been set are overwritten by `newCalendar`'s values.

Parameters
`newCalendar` | `Calendar`: the new `Calendar` to be used by the date format

### setLenient

    public void setLenient (boolean lenient)

Specify whether or not date/time parsing is to be lenient. With lenient parsing, the parser may use heuristics to interpret inputs that do not precisely match this object's format. With strict parsing, inputs must match this object's format.

This method is equivalent to the following call.

>     getCalendar().setLenient(lenient)

This leniency value is overwritten by a call to `setCalendar()`.

Parameters
`lenient` | `boolean`: when `true`, parsing is lenient

See also:

- `Calendar.setLenient(boolean)`

### setNumberFormat

    public void setNumberFormat (NumberFormat newNumberFormat)

Allows you to set the number formatter.

Parameters
`newNumberFormat` | `NumberFormat`: the given new NumberFormat.

### setTimeZone

    public void setTimeZone (TimeZone zone)

Sets the time zone for the calendar of this `DateFormat` object. This method is equivalent to the following call.

>     getCalendar().setTimeZone(zone)

The `TimeZone` set by this method is overwritten by a `setCalendar` call.

The `TimeZone` set by this method may be overwritten as a result of a call to the parse method.

Parameters
`zone` | `TimeZone`: the given new time zone.

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